Dana White hails 'greatest talent' in DWCS history after 19-second KO

Dana White's Contender Series Season 10 Week 6 delivered four new UFC contract signings and a historic pace of talent acquisition. Through Week 6, the season has already produced 28 contract winners—the most ever at this point in DWCS history.

The standout performance came from undefeated Kyrgyz lightweight Akbar Abdullaev (14-0), who faced Ednilson Barros Santos (14-8) and needed just 19 seconds to dispatch his opponent with a knockout. Abdullaev's combination of speed, power, and a perfect finishing record caught Dana White's attention in a major way. "That punch sounded like a baseball bat," White said after the bout. "I'm gonna call you possibly the greatest talent that has been on this show in 10 years. I think that you are going to be a huge superstar and a very big threat in this sport."

Three other fighters earned contracts on the card. Undefeated middleweight Luis Hernandez (8-0) survived a knockdown and submission attempt in the second round before forcing Hugo Guillon (7-2) to tap out moments later—a comeback that impressed White immensely. Middleweight Igor Cavalcanti (14-2) finished Oscar Ravello in 98 seconds with ground-and-pound, while Ecuador's Mayton Perea knocked out previously undefeated Zevan Hunt in the main event just 45 seconds into their bout with a punishing combination.

Featherweight Tyshawn Williams (9-0) earned a unanimous decision over Antonio Monteiro (18-6) but did not receive a contract. White offered him an invitation to return for another DWCS appearance instead. The season's record-setting pace underscores the exceptional talent pool on display in Season 10.